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To: Kevin Bakhurst, RTÉ
RTÉ, retract & apologise for your harmful, insulting mpox article
Remove and apologise for your harmful article on Ireland's mpox outbreak, which focuses on the number of sexual partners one person with mpox had, instead of the way LGBTQ+ people have worked with health professionals to get people the care they need.
The framing of the article is stigmatising, hurtful and will lead to fewer people coming forward for help. It should never have been published in the first place.
The framing of the article is stigmatising, hurtful and will lead to fewer people coming forward for help. It should never have been published in the first place.
Why is this important?
On 3rd July, RTÉ News published an article on its website with the headline "Irish Mpox patient had 75 sexual partners in 21 days".
This article is based on a report from the IMJ which describes how the LGBTQ+ community and healthcare professionals organised in response to the outbreak of mpox. Instead of focusing on any of this, RTÉ chose to report on the number of sexual partners one person had.
This kind of coverage is stigmatising to everyone who has ever had a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It prevents people from seeking healthcare by making them feel like their sexual history is something to be ashamed of.
We demand better from our state broadcaster. Together, we are calling on RTÉ to withdraw this article and apologise. We would also like a commitment from RTÉ to more sensitive reporting on STIs going forward.
This article is based on a report from the IMJ which describes how the LGBTQ+ community and healthcare professionals organised in response to the outbreak of mpox. Instead of focusing on any of this, RTÉ chose to report on the number of sexual partners one person had.
This kind of coverage is stigmatising to everyone who has ever had a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It prevents people from seeking healthcare by making them feel like their sexual history is something to be ashamed of.
We demand better from our state broadcaster. Together, we are calling on RTÉ to withdraw this article and apologise. We would also like a commitment from RTÉ to more sensitive reporting on STIs going forward.